Everyone should have a chance to live in another country. I'm an American who's lived in five countries and am currently living in France with my lovely French wife. This blog is about finding opportunities abroad and the challenges you'll face.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Finland Blue Card

Great news for those interested in Finland. They'll be introducing the Finnish Blue Card in 2012. The requirements, though, are pretty steep.

The work requires special qualifications or expertise.

The applicant has a higher education degree and is committed to a work contract of at least one year for highly qualified employment.

The applicant is paid a gross salary of minimum EUR 4,832 per month. This is the salary threshold applicable in Finland in 2012 and reviewed annually.

The terms and conditions of employment comply with existing regulations and collective agreements.

The applicant fulfils the general requirements outlined in the Aliens Act for the granting of a residence permit. For example, the applicant must have a valid travel document (such as a passport), and must not be the subject of an entry ban.

You may be a perfect candidate but still find that €4,832 threshold pretty difficult to reach. That's currently around $6,300US a month, or around $75K a year. The World Democracy Audit lists Finland as their number one country. For those of you who value and educated, socially conscious and peaceful society, it's hard to beat Finland.

Combine that with Finland's strong economy and a 6.2% unemployment rate and I would definitely say "check it out". Plus, 63% of the populace speaks English (probably even more in Helsinki), so if you're proficient in English, this will make life easier while you learn Finnish.